Temptations

Jarome is back in to continue. With prior themes surrounding deception and now building towards temptation and the symbolism behind the forbidden fruit. Constant reminder to stay focused and stay the course.

Dear Mama

Â Real men love their moms. Joey is in to pay tribute, not to someone that has passed away, but to his living and healthy mother. Why? If your asking yourself that, then you need to go find your moms and go give her a hug and a kiss immediately. Great way to end the New York campaign. I want to send a huge thank you to everyone that made this trip so memorable. Your love and support most definitely does not go unnoticed. Thank you all.Â Last one from New York...

Recap to follow

And since were on the topic of mommas, heres some classic Tupac for you from the archives.

Face Off

Loyal client under the Lowrider roof is Brandon. With a growing collection from both Jose and I, Brandon has been enduring some long hours in the studio lately. Last night we managed to sealed up his chestplate we had started a little while back. Take a look at some views from our last session...

Brandon will be in the chair with Jose next to seal up the rest of his front panel, bringing both the upper and lower sections together. Stay tuned...

DAVID

Â Next in the chair is the brother Callum in to began his left sleeve.Â Inspired by the latin quote,"Fortes fortuna adiuvat" which translates to, "Fortune favors the brave," Fortuna the greek god of fortune,Â was know to only help those who take big risks. Being the up and coming soccer player that Callum is, we made the connection regarding the relationship of him and the way he approaches his sport, in a more biblical sense. As David was depicted gazing upon the battlefield before he dominated Goliath, Callum looks upon his field in the same sense... Â

The angel sculpted by Bernini holding the dice symbolizes the chance of fate and fortune.

To some the outcome may seem uncertain, but we all know how this story plays out...

Invest yourself completely and hold back nothing. Take the risks needed to move forward and the reward will be more fulfilling than you can imagine.

A huge thanks to Callum for being such a trooper over the past few days. Keep an eye out for this collection, only the beginning

Caravaggio’s Legacy

Caravaggio led a tumultuous lifeÂ filled with passion, violence and glory. Actually we know much of Caravaggio through his police records. An advocate of the lower class, Caravaggio was notorious for brawling, getting in bar fights and carrying weapons, one of which actually killed one of his opponents during a tennis match. In the past his high-placed patrons had protected him from the consequences of his escapades, but this time they could do nothing and because of this he had to flee Rome and go into hiding. During this time he would be closely followed by enemies in pursuit of his life in which attempts were made regularly. Nonetheless he was still painting and taking on monumental commissions that only heightened his fame with every place that he visited. At the age of 36, his powerful friends in Rome made a breakthrough with the newly appointed Pope, and Caravaggio was given a pardon to return to Rome, although he would never make it back alive. Much controversy is said by his unexpected death in route from Naples to Rome, some say his past caught up with him, others say he died of a fever on the shores. None is clear, but the overall impact of a man's short-lived pioneering style that would be often imitated but never duplicated, stands the test of time.

"With the exception ofÂ Michelangelo, no other Italian painter exercised so great an influence."

The exhibit currently on display at the LACMA clearly shows his impact on the painters that followed him. Not mainly originals from the master himself, maybe 8 in all, but regardless impressive works from Gentileschi, Ribera, and VelasquezÂ alike, all making this show a must see...

Best known for his a radical naturalismÂ that combined close physical observation with a dramatic, even theatrical, use of chiaroscuro. Caravaggio preferred to paint his subjects as the eye sees them, and at a time of heavy religious influence he broke out of conventional methods and Â was able to tweak them to his own sensibilities. criticized often for pushing the limits, for example, using known prostitutes as a model for the The Death Of The VirginÂ and other paintings alike, he was successful in reducing the religious class to human terms.

Remembered as martyr of the lower class Caravaggio will continue to be a topic of conversation now, and surely in years to come...

King’s Path

Making some progress with our good brother Toby Leonard's collection. This is the first piece of many that will fill the remainder of his leg. Toby, who has been one of our main support systems in London, recently made the move to LA to pursue some great opportunities. Im proud of my brother, who is embarking on this new chapter in his life. Not many can muster the courage to make those bigger decisions that dictate what one's future will be. Dreams are the inspiration, ambition starts with courage, why make it harder than it is? Take the leap and test the waters. With Toby it was a no brainer, and he has the discipline and passion to do great things out here, which I am looking forward to seeing unfold. Always a pleasure working on my brother from another mother, take a look at progress from last night's session.

Inner Peace

Slow down.... trade in the freeway for the unchartedÂ mountain trail.Â Loose the city life and find the peace that lies within trueÂ nature.Â Â A few months back,Â before the term started back up at Art Center, I took it upon myself to break free from the daily grind and get lost in the wilderness. You must always take time toÂ regroup the mind and soak up inspiration from the greatest designer of all.

-Robert Frost

Wandering through forests filled with RedwoodsÂ over 2000 years old, enjoying crystal clear water to crystal filled caves,Â beauty is at every corner.

Some friends I came across on my journey.Â

They say to truly experience peace one must have enduredÂ the struggles that are found in the trenches. If you are ruthless with your work and know the trenches I speak of, you need this in your life.Â A free mind with no anxiety or stress, is the mind at its purest. Never before I have been ably to think so clearly, taking this opportunity to reflect on the year and prepare for whats to come.Â

The MET

Still going strong here in New York. For now enjoy some views from a visit earlier in the week to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its undeniable that the Met holds one of our countries most prized collections, last week I was reminded whyâ¦.

The halls are filled with endless inspiration.

Canova's presence was definitely felt in the hall of sculptures. First up is the Perseus with the Head of Medusa

And one of my personal favorites, Count Ugolino and His Sons.

Easily the favorite from our outing. Touring from the Netherland's Vermeer's, "Girl With the Pearl Earing" left us speechless.

The Lost Leonardo

Last piece from Milan, the brother Alessandro is in to move forward with his old master inspired collection. When I get the opportunity to work on fellow tattoo artists from around the world, its a real honor and a privilege as well. Ale, seeking much inspiration from Leonardo as I do, chose to began his collection with the Lost masterpiece ofÂ The Battle of Anghiariâ¦.

Commissioned by Niccolo Machiavelli to decorate the Hall of Five Hundred, Leonardo worked on this project during the same time that his rival Michelangelo began work on the opposite wall. This was the only time that Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo worked together on the same project.Â Michelangelo did not stay long enough to finish his portion of the hall, for he was called by th Pope to return to Rome. Familiar ending with Leonardos work as well, who began having some troubles with his experimental painting technique, and later abandoned the project. For ten years the paintings stood unfinished, until Vasari was ordered to renovate the hall, leaving the fate of the paintings lost foreverâ¦

We have an idea of the beauty leonardo created, through the master copy of Peter Paul Rubens, as well as in depth descriptions expressed in Vasariâs writings.

Always a pleasure to see our boy Alessandro. Keep an eye out for future work with this collection.

WAR HORSE

I managed to take a trip to Santa Anita Racetrack last week alongside my father to watch some of the countries most fit horses battle it out on the track. With pop, it was a trip down memory lane. The day was filled with stories of how he would cut class in junior high only to be able to catch the opening race by noon. He couldn't have been more than 15, and would find gentlemen hanging around the track to place his bets for him. When I was 15, I wouldn't have to look far, for I always had pop to get in on a piece of the action and place my bets for me...

My pops love for horses quickly rubbed off on me at a young age.Â The mixture of both beauty and grace, as well as power and strength, has always intrigued me about horses. This rare formula creates a harmony that is most incredible.

Their god-like muscles that bulge from their physique, when triggered, can burst with such power that it is unchallenged. Yet step away from the field and they are most elegant and graceful with every poised step that they take. Peaceful... yet intense.

Da Vinci also shared my love for horses...

Â Seeing these magnificent animals up close is something you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate. I could hang around this place all day

Although me and pop didn't win a fortunate betting all the longshots, it was, to say the least.... a memorable day. To take you out, heres a shot of the sculpture of famous miracle horse Seabiscuit,Â that welcomes you as you enter the park.

National Treasures

After a week of straight tattooing I managed to break out of the studio with the brotherÂ JunÂ to explore the city some. First stop was the National Gallery to admire some of the worlds most treasured masterpieces. When it comes to painting collections like this, the masters still live...

From Caravaggio to Rembrandt, Michelangelo to Rafael, me and Jun spent the day drooling over countless masterpieces

The virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo... Timeless

What we found most interesting though was the pieces by Michelangelo and Leonardo that showed their process. The unfinished painting by Michelangelo below was one I didn't even know existed.

And Lastly, this amazing drawing by Da Vinci. Showcased in a private room this piece reveals his finished perfection but more importantly his raw process. The natural aesthetic to his marks translate beauty that is simply not matched. Da Vinci was it....

7 Deadly Sins

Clint is back in from Canada for back to back sessions. Its an honor to work withÂ clients like Clint that are willing to invest themselves both mind, body and soulÂ in theÂ building process of these larger scale works. Of course both sides, the client and the artist would like the end vision to be realized sooner than later, we must respect the fact that the end results are always dictated by the attention to detail during the building process. FewÂ see what goes on behind the curtains, the countlessÂ hours in the studio, multiple sessions, andÂ endless other areas of workÂ that go into each and every project. Clint is truly partÂ of a rare breed...

Beginning with the inner section that will eventually bridge to the outer, Temptation and Lust are the focus.Â Theme surroundingÂ the conscious understandingÂ ofÂ 7 Deadly Sins, so that theyÂ do not decide one's downfall.

Always a smooth run with Clint, when you love what you do its easy to get lost in your work and let those late nights turn into early mornings.Â AnotherÂ one of those sessions where the sunrise found us before the work day was done.
A fun twist to the classic story of Medusa, providing a contemporary depiction thatÂ remainsÂ consistent with the whole.

Slip Away

Longtime client Gary is back in from Texas to start sealing up the chest. Playing with the idea of time and how easily it can slip away from us if we don't don't take full advantage of every moment. Another smooth session with Gary, more to come.

Necessary Evil

Building the collection with the brother Santiago. The classic St. Michael begans telling the story of the great battle that we all share, being the one within us. We start with creating the strong focal point of interest that will transition to the lower. Touching on the ideas of everyday striving to overcome our demons as we pursue our life's ambitions. Using our struggles to fuel the fire within and continue to move onward...

Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Â Heres a look at an original painting I finished up last month based on the ancient Greek tragedy ofÂ MedeaÂ written by the great Euripides. For those of you who are not familiar with her story, it is one filled with plenty of drama, betrayal and revenge. Medea was a mother of two children that not only left her home and everything behind to be with her husband Jason, but also saved his life and is the reason that he was pushed into greatness for slaying the dragon. This is the kind of woman you just dont use up, throw away, and leave behind for another woman without expecting to see any reproductions. To seek revenge she not only took the life of his new bride, but took the lives of their two children as well. This woman made sure her first cut was the deep.

Â Â When approaching this project I chose to stay focused on the phsycology of the piece. The killing and the revenge is one thing, but I wanted to take a step back and look deeper into her story. My depiction of Medea takes place during the moment where she conciously or not decides that there is only one way out of the situation brought before her... the moment where this woman essentially goes from a loving mother and wife to a ruthless murderer with nothing but revenge on her mind.

"Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge." Scott Adams

It felt good to wrap up this piece. My love for the craft of painting has grown much throughout this project and Â I can assure you this isÂ only the beginning... stay tuned

Follow your Heart

Back to Back

When a client dedicates his back to his collection you know he's fully committed at that point. In my opinion, and I am sure many will agree, that working on one's back is the biggest honor an artist can have. With the body's biggest canvas, along comes the most work. Ready, willing and able, these fellas are in it for the long term. Heres a few of the many larger scale projects currently in rotation. An early healed look with the brother Faze as we go in for yet another strong session... Still much work to be done with this one.

Niv has been a straight soldier throughout the whole process of working on his apocolypto inspired back piece. When you come across the rare client who is as dedicated to the process as we are, your become similar to a band of brothers going into battle time and again. We are dedicated to the finish. Quality in every step. Long days and longer nights. Feels good to see this one come as far as it has. Still needs another session to complete. Heres a look from last night's session.

A huge thanks to all the clients that have been coming in day in and day out, sticking it out with me throughout those long sessions.

Sacrifice

The brother Matt is back down from the bay to continue work with his backpiece. The initial sessions for larger scale projects such as this one, are mainly dedicated to laying down the groundwork and really trying to see the direction we want to take with each collection. With the foundation set, we began building...still much work to be done, heres a look in process.

Matt's back is based around the idea of sacrifice.

Still to early to go into detail, but keep in mind...

"A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." -Martin Luther King Jr.

A big thanks to Matt for making the trip. Be sure to keep an eye out for future sessions to come.

Rome’s Treasures

As we near our upcoming trip to Europe, here's a look back at some views from Rome earlier in the year...

When you witness these masterpieces for yourself, you are in the company of artists that have dedicated their whole lives to perfecting their craft. To reach the level of excellence that these old masters did, is not impossible, it just takes endless amounts of work. Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with it and never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill.Â Â I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I'll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but who knows where the top is.

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all." Â -Michelangelo

Organized Chaos

A small look intoÂ a portion of the work being prepared right now for midterms at Artcenter. Here's a few preliminaryÂ illustrations showing invaluable early thinking that goes before anyÂ final compositions. Scrambling to prepare countless presentations with not even close to enough time to do so.Â Long nights will surely leadÂ into early mornings. When failure is not an option you must deliver by any means. Stay posted.

Join the Ranks

Calm Canadian

Great beginnings with Clint. Hailing down from our neighboring country of Canada, we kicked off his collection with two sessions back to back. Still in the early stages with our first meeting, but a good start none the less. Our early efforts were focused on a dedication to the recent passing of his moms. Never an easy subject to work with, but hopefully this bring some closure.

Next was a different approach on the opposite end of the spectrum, twisting the theme of temptation and using the symbolism of the forbidden fruit to help tell that story.

Anatomy Of Type

Going back to my younger years, I remember bombing the city streets using graffiti as a tool to communicate my art. That deep rooted passion for lettering would cultivate there and later grow into the form of a tattoo, as most of my first tattoos were of course lettering. Its elegance and timeless qualities have always inspired me, but not until recently did I really get to explore the beautiful world of typography in the historical sense. Diving into the birth of hand drawn symbolism, to the old styles of the early empires, and thenÂ coming full circle to today.Â To push and explore any area of interest,Â its important to understand the anatomy of where it comes from. Thinking about balance, weight, spacing, and overall harmony within the letters in just as important asÂ the word that is being communicated. Studying alongsideÂ graphic designers at my school that are religious about this stuff has made me look at type in a whole new context. TakeÂ a look into the process...

Learning through endless practice...

"Know the rules well, so that you can break them effectively" -Daili Lama

Its interesting to see how tattoo artists have pushed the boundaries with lettering such as script and old style fonts. Watching guys likeÂ Miguel Ochoa and Johhny Opina push the envelope into creating these trulyÂ unique styles that my instructors trip out on isÂ nothing short of inspiring. To thinkÂ that tattooing is impacting and contributing to something 1000's of years old is amazing.

Back To Back

Back to back sessions with the brother Joel who made the trip all the way from Australia. Long days turned into longer nights and being that we only had a few days we had to make the most out of the time we had. The first day was spent on the Lady Justice inspired piece dealing with the idea of life and the pursuit of success and happiness. Its easy to let trends or money get in the way of the way we perceive the world around us to be. Sometimes we might get so lost in this that we find ourselves trying to lead the lives of others. For Joel its aboutÂ blinding yourself to the outer world in order to truly find what feels right to your own sensibilities. And once find it don't look back...

A closer look with the classic Og Abel money rose used to seal off the lower section

As we move to the inner section of the arm we are met with the idea of "moment mori." Which is a latin phrase that translates to "remember you must die". Death is inevitable, but how we use our time while we are here is up to us. Joel is a world traveler and wakes up every morning eager to began his next adventure. This is a daily reminder to continue to do so.

A huge thanks to Joel for making the trip out and sticking it out with me through those long sessions.

Victoria’s Angel

The brother Cj made the trip out from Virginia to begin work to his lower right sleeve. A fun way to put a twist on the classic angel theme. Like me, Cj has his queen back home, but it doesn't hurt have having a girl like this one watching over your shoulder when times get rough. Strong first pass with the brother who sat like a rock.

Dangerously Beautiful

Long days lead to longer nights. Much exciting work has been in the works in and out of the studio lately, that will be revealed shortly. For now, take a look into a recent project with the brother Sal.

To kick off Sal's collection he chose to pay homage to the strong and beautiful mexican women that have impacted his life.

Never underestimate the strength of a woman, especially one ready for war...

Remember fellas, it's a man's world, but it wouldn't be nothin without a woman or a girl.

Give Refuge

ClientÂ traveling from Northern England is back in to continue. While the brothers wereÂ on the grind in London it was nonstop in theÂ LA studio. Not an easy session to pull through, GarethÂ sat like a warrior.

After the foundation has settled in we can continue to layerÂ the greys,Â which allows us to achieve a richerÂ and wider value range.

Another fulfilling project,Â feels good to see this one come full circle. Keep an eye out for more to come with this collection, come London in January.

Parental Guidance

Another good start... Client reflecting on the impact of the twoÂ most influential people in his life. I can only imagine what comes withÂ raisingÂ a child. The responsibilities of guiding a life, preparing one for the world unknown, deserves the highest honor. This one goes out to all the mothers and fathers out there that have made the ultimate sacrifice, putting their dreams on hold to give the greatest gift of all... we salute you

Vandal Squad

Here are some flicks from a recent trip to the "Art In The Streets" exhibit at the MOCA in downtown LA. Jeffrey Deitch did an amazing job at bringing the worlds most dominating graffiti artists from all corners of the globe to showcase their talent, and most of them did so right there on the spot, straight bombing the walls in the museum. Being a graffiti artist myself this exhibit was very inspiring. The bridge between so-called fine art and "street art" is slowing disappearing into thin air. Now we are seeing living proof with this exhibit. Whether it be Tattooing, Graffiti Art, etc. I wont let supreme talent be overlooked by a certain label that is put upon us. We WILL overcome our being enslaved for so long, break the chains, storm the world with OUR style, and earn our respected level in history with the rest of the greats!! Keep moving fam were well on our way.... in the meantime enjoy some inspiration..

Savior

Another great start that will serveÂ as a foundation for the long-term.Â One of the noblest professionsÂ that I have come to admire is the commonly overlooked position of our firemen. When these boys get the call 9 times out of 10 its a life orÂ death situation, andÂ day in and day out they come to the aid of the onesÂ who call upon them. The lower section represents the painÂ andÂ uncertaintyÂ that is shared on theÂ end of theÂ suffering. And above, is the veiled angel whoÂ embodies the idea of the unknown hero who will soon be their savior. Blessed to know that there are try herosÂ like my brother Jared are on the other end if I were to need them.

New Love

Â Were making our way towards the end of the Summer term over here at the Art Center. When you start seeing piles of students sleeping in the cafeteria you know were getting close. Aside from the rest of my studies here, Painting has been one that stands out and has really intrigued me. Although I have explored I little on my own in my younger years, nothing compares to all that I have been exposed to at school. It has proved to be meditation and torment at the same time. Honestly the most challenging medium I have attempted to pick up aside from trying to learn how to tattoo back when I first started out. Roosevelt said, " Nothing in this world is worth having or doing unless it means effort, pain and difficulty." The struggle is the most valued ingredient. Learn from your failures and keep pushing forward.

Take a look at some studies thus far pulled straight from the classroom

This is definitely something I will persue further... only the tip of the iceberg and I think i have found...

Destroy…Rebuild

Only a few hours rest after I returned from London, did I find myself back in full swing with the Fall term here at Art Center. Halfway through the program things are starting to make sense. The theme is simple...

Destroy ... & Rebuild

A brief look into a couple of studies done over the past few days. The key to growing in any craft is to come to an understanding that every brick layed will uiltimately lead you towards the finish. All time spent on any lesson learned is used later. So it only makes sense that in whatever you do with your time you are always fully invested. Of course you would, right? No matter how basic, or simple, or seemingly unimportant, you may not see it now but have faith that it will most definitely be called upon sometime down the line. Basic perspective may seem boring, but without that knowledge, recreating an ancient city in Greece would be that much more difficult... if it wasn't so much already.

Once again I preach that the foundation is the most important ingredient.

This term im diving back into my studies with oil as a medium. It feels great to be pushing paint around once again on a regular basis. Finding inspiration for a few fun head studies was closer to home than I thought. One was inspired by the big homie Estevan, pulling an image from his Classic book, LA WOMAN.

The other was my neighbor Gonzo. My instructor wanted me to find someone the was intense and very charismatic. He gets Gonzo. Luckily he is always willing to lend a hand when it comes to doing my homework. Don't let the tough shell fool you, underneath is a big tedybear.Â

REPENT

Protector

Last piece from London. Amanda is back in the chair for another long one. This girl is true soldier. With a room full of men getting tattooed crying about, she sits like a statue, not a word. A big thanks to her for sticking it out with me. Saint Michael the protector...

The Good Fight

I recently had the honor of working on one of my instructors from Art Center. Beginning his career working for Disney, actually helping build Disneyland, he has enjoyed an amazing career, now being able to give back by teaching as well as creating children's books, which you can view here. I have come to understand that the life of an artist is not an easy one. Most are spent struggling, some lead to torment, almost none lead to riches... so why then? At some point passion overides all. You battle back at what comes at you for following your lifes greatest ambitions. In return you get the fulfillment of one that has fought to follow the dream, not just as an artist but whatever your craft may be. Not conforming to society's idea of the norm, and having the courage to be an individual, is what I respect. Ron Robledo has mine. For his piece we pulled inspiration from the classic underdog film, Rocky. A great session with Ron, take a look..

âLife's not about how hard of a hit you can give... it's about how many you can take, and still keep moving forward.â Â Â -Rocky Balboa

Vatican Painting Collection

First up is a look at the Vatican Painting Collection.Â The collection contains some masterpieces of the greatest artists of the history of Italian painting, from Giotto to Beato Angelico, from Melozzo da ForlÃ¬ to Perugino and to Raphael, from Leonardo to Tiziano, to Veronese, to Caravaggio. All the Italians are here under one roof...

Also in the permenant collection is one of Caravaggio's best, "The Entombment of Christ"

A rare look into the painting process of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Of all the old masters I witnessed at the Vatican, the work of Raphael is what stuck with me. His grace, clarity and natural quality that embody his work are executed at a level of ease that seems almost too natural to be a painting.

With such a complex composition of so many figures it's hard to stay fluid and keep the work from stiffening up. With Raphael nothing is repeated, everything about his paintings feel so lifelike and natural, theres a kind of complexity that is mastered here, that no one but Raphael can achieve. In essence, nobody paints like Raphael...

Probably the most extraordinary room in the paypal pallace, are the Raphael Rooms, which at one point in time was the room that the Pope would sign important decrees and documents. When Raphael was painting these rooms, not only was the Bascilica being redesigned but Michelangelo was down the hall painting the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. These rooms are considered to hold the greatest frescoe paintings of the high rennasance. Enjoy...

The last piece I'll showcase is the most famous fresco in the collection entitled, The School Of Athens. Here Raphael depicts the greatest minds of Ancient Greece. The central figures being Plato and his student, Aristotle were the ones that laid the foundation for western philosophy and science. Plato, interested in the spiritual, the every day world, is shown pointing upward to the devine and Aristotle more concerned with the physcial and what we can observe and make sense of is shown with his hand extended level to earth. Two different ways of thinking about the world, both as influential as the next.

Amazing...

And of course paying respects to Michelangelo he includes him in this work below.

Quality Defined

I recently had the privilege of taking a trip out to visit our boy Jeff Bloodhound at his studio. For those of you who are wondering what type of machines use, this is it. First he showed me the equiptment he is running which is no joke, I think if I were to sell one of these machines I could probably pay for my entire tuition. He than ran me through the whole process from start to finish.Â Nothing Jeff uses to build his machines are premade or shipped from over seas.

Every single piece from the contact screws...

Â to the armatuer bars...

Â to the frames themselves,Â are all hand crafted and cut right here in the lab. That hand quality and prestine craftsmanship that Jeff is so passionate about is what sets him apart from the rest.

What makes for the perfect machine? We had a long talk regarding some machines that he is building for me right now. Lately we have been trying to push the boundary with the past few machines he has built for me, making minor tweaks here and there, and I think we might now have come up with the ultimate formula. I swear Jeff is like the mad scientist when he's in here, he takes an idea and just runs with it, not stopping until he has mastered it. This man knows exactly what he is doing and in my opinion is by far one of the most talented machine builders of our time. Truly an honor to get a glimpse into what goes on behind the curtains with the art of machine building. For more information about contacting Jeff click here.

Don’t Let Up

Checking back in from the daily grind. No days off in the studio alongside my right hand Jose. Again, working through those vigorous sessions, as nights turn into early mornings.Â Surrender yourself to your work, and uncover the true fulfillment that is found in the process. When you let go off time, and embrace every moment with everything that you got, you tap into aÂ purity in the form of true passion.

Never Surrender

Been away from the computer for awhile, taking a break to relax the mind a little. Will share some photos from the past few weeks soon, but for now heres a look back at some work from the a few weeks back. The good brother John is back in the studio from Chicago. Building on what we had started on his last visit, we made some good progress with this meeting. Pulling inspiration from the trials and tribulations of Hercules, John can easily relate to those unthinkable feats embarked on during his time spent in Afghanistan. One of the first deployed after 9/11, his stories that he shared were nothing short of amazing that he is still here with us. The funny thing about John is, you would think after all of the shit he had been through over there he would hold bitter feelings of anger or resentment. Actually he is the opposite. Probably the most approachable guy in the room he is full of life and always has a smile on his face when he's here with us. A true soldier, he did what he had for us and was able to maintain himself in the process. A real inspiration for all of us...

Holy Grail

It's been a smooth journey with my brother Michael. With last night's session we were able to seal up his chest we had started some time ago. Unlike other mediums, tattooing is purely a collaborative process between both the artist and client. If one is more invested then the other the results are never met to their fullest potential. It's not just the client or the artist, but both to be equally invested in the process, from start to finish. Since day one Michael has been soldier. No whining, easy to work with, and sits like a rock every time. Take a look at the finished work focusing on the religious key figures; St. Paul and the Virgin Mary.

One of the biggest questions the artist's asks himself is when is the work finished? With each session you dig deeper and deeper, and it gets harder to say when...

"Art is never finished, only abandoned." -Leonardo Da Vinci

A big thanks to Michael for soldiering through those long sessions with me. A great start with his collection.

Map Out

Lately I've been getting lost in the beautiful world that is painting. When prepping for a larger piece, one can never forget to neglect the planning, studying and problem solving that goes into the development stages. Before moving forward to the finish, theÂ big problems first need to be solved. As with anything, the importance lies in the bricks. Here's a look at a head study for a new painting in the works.

A short clip pulled from Instagram, take a walk through some of the process...

Angels and Demons

The brother Carlos was in the studio last night to seal up his chest we had started some time ago. Another one thats in it for the long term, already with some great work from the brother's Jun Cha and Lil B, and honor to add another addition to his collection. Long hours last night with this one...

Based on the trials and tribulations of the great Saint Michael battling the fallen angels of heaven. The question lies, what side of the battle do you wish to partake in? The inner demons one carries are only know to the beholder, but how you push forward is the basis for how one's character is built. Here lies the battle of a Saint...

Some closer looks...

A nig thanks to Carlos for pulling through and sitting like a rock. Further additions to his collection in the works...

Life AFTER

The brother Mike is in for another round with his life and death inspired collection. Homestretch with Mike as we come full circle to wrap the lower leg. Diving into the transitions that lead to the afterlife, there is a beauty that lies in death... rebirth.

The skull plays its part to symbolize mortality and the notion of memento mori, while the butterflies symbolize rebirth and growth.

âEach night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.â -Mahatma Gandhi

Student

The past week has been a refreshing reminder that the student is the best position one can obtain. Since I walked through the doors over here at Lowrider I have been consumed in absorbing all the knowledge that Jose and the rest of the homies have been willing to share with me. This studio houses nothing but family, and it just so happens that they are some of the most talented artists I have had the honor of getting to know. With the adjustment and the vigorous workload ahead the homies have been preparing me for whats to come... In the meantime let me give you a sneak view of what Jose has been up to in the lab...

I hope Jose doesn't mind me sharing this with you all, for it is still in its early stages of completion, but I couldn't help myself.

Timeless...

Catching my breath before I dive back into the studio. One last thing, take a trip down memory lane with Jose on the Lowrider Tattoo Studios Blog. Thanks for the honor brother.